Paco Boy’s last race in Hong Kong on Dec 12 will be tinged with emotion and
disappointment for the Calvera Partnership No 2, who owned the horse for his
previous 23 starts.

A dispute over the conditions of sale has clouded this outstanding miler’s swansong.

When he lines up for the final time he will have no connection with the six members of the syndicate, despite the fact that he will be carrying their familiar maroon and grey colours in the Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, which carries a first prize of £820,000.

Paco Boy is now the property of Highclere Stud in Britain and Waikato Stud in New Zealand. The horse was sold after finishing a gallant fourth to Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs last month, but according to Derek Lucie-Smith, who heads up Calvera, the syndicate believed that under the terms of the sale, the three-time Group One winner would not race again after Kentucky.

“The first discussions of a sale were after Royal Ascot in June and before the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August, and we came to an agreement on the number of races he would run in for the rest of the season. Hong Kong was never mentioned,” he said.

Both sides have taken legal advice on the matter. John Warren, of Highclere Stud, points out that the horse was owned by Highclere and Waikato from the time the deal was closed following a second vetting of the horse after the Breeders’ Cup. “We carried the risk from the second vetting.

“In the original contract there was mention of the number of races, and that the last would be the Breeders’ Cup, but Hong Kong is an invitational and the invitations had not been issued when the contract was drawn up. We took legal advice, and Waikato Stud, who do a lot of business in the Far East, were keen for the horse to race in Hong Kong.

“I can understand that it would be disappointing [for the Calvera Partnership], but we have had a great relationship with them. There hasn’t been an argument. It’s been kept very, very civil. We’ve come to an arrangement,” he added.

In Hong Kong, Paco Boy will be running for a first prize of more than 80 per cent of his career earnings accumulated in 11 wins from 23 starts, over three years.